Eleven years after flunking out of college, Kate has finally hit rock-bottom. Losing her job and boyfriend in one drunken night, she’s determined to fix her life by going back to the moment when she let partying and sex take over and do things right. At twenty-nine, she heads back to freshman year of college, with a catch.

Pretending she's nineteen with a new roommate and full class schedule is easy. When she meets her shy, sexy and seven-years-younger RA Carter, following her self-imposed sobriety and celibacy rules is proving to be anything but.

A senior enduring years of regret, Carter is more than ready to graduate. He’s anxious to move on from the party his freshman year where he witnessed his frat brothers about to commit a sexual assault. Instead of doing the right thing and stepping in, he looked the other way and left. His guilt has made for a lonely four years.

When he meets the new freshman on his floor, spunky and confident Kate, he wonders if his time as an outcast has finally come to an end.

Kate and Carter’s growing friendship and undeniable attraction make it harder to hide the demons from their respective pasts. But when their secrets are finally revealed, will their chance at starting over together still be there?

If a life started on a lie, even if it resulted in a better life, would it ever feel okay?

Kate Townsend was sick of how her life had turned out. She worked as a legal secretary in a law firm where she had been having an affair with one of the partners. She knows she’s just a mistress and she also knows David is just using her. When he got rid of her, she doesn’t have any idea where to go. So when faced with two choices, either go to rehab or go back to college, she chose the latter. A doctored transcript, a scholarship application filled with lies, a photoshopped ID picture, and a new wardrobe later, she is officially a 29-year old take-two college student disguised as a nineteen year old freshman.

Carter is a 22 year old graduating senior student at Hudson University who is studying to become a lawyer. He is now a Resident Advisor who had been living a life of a saint for the past three years. He had been so consumed by his guilt about what happened three years ago when he didn’t stop his fraternity brothers from molesting an intoxicated female student. All the accused transferred to other schools and the girl in question left the university soon after but not him. His father made sure of that. He paid the girl and everyone else. He wasn’t a rapist but he knew from what he did, that he is as worst as one. He wore the D-bag scarlet letter like a pro. He hasn’t forgiven himself for what he didn’t do. He isolated himself. He volunteered for community services, he focused on his studies, he did not participate in any parties, had been celibate for the past three years and managed to stay away from alcohol.

When his eyes found Kate Townsend, it’s like everything changed. Their surrounding was charged with a different kind of energy. After how many years, he felt like he became alive again. Kate saw him the way he wanted to be seen. She doesn’t have any idea what happened 3 years ago. A blank slate is a breath of fresh air.

They say you can become your best self in someone else’s eyes. Could my best really be in the eyes of someone who seemed so good and pure?

Kate and Carter fought to control whatever they felt towards each other. And as they kept denying themselves, they were constantly pushed towards each other until they cannot handle it anymore. But will their feelings thrived knowing that they were both keeping a secret that might destroy whatever they have together?

Kate wanted to become better. She wanted to overcome her need for alcohol. Carter sees so much is her. She feels like another person when she’s with him. He makes her feel so special and loved. She feels like she can do anything with him by her side. But would he still like her when she tells him the whole truth?

On the other hand, Carter is having the same dilemma. Will she still accept him after he unveil his sins to her? Will their relationship survive?

“Out of everyone on this campus, how did the two biggest liars find each other?”

“Maybe because we’re finally ready to start telling the truth.”

For Kate and Carter, telling the truth is a step towards a brighter and stress-free future. When all was out in the open, they realized what their past shouldn’t dictate their future. Their past was just that, a past. They made mistakes and hopefully, those mistakes helped them learn. They were lucky that they found each other as they journey to the unknown.

Kate taught Carter and her best friend a lesson. It is not too late to change. There is no age limit in chasing your dreams. Follow where your heart leads you.

Lisa Burstein is the author of the Young Adult Novels: Pretty Amy and Dear Cassie, and the New Adult Novels & Novellas: Sneaking Candy, The Next Forever & The Possibility of Us. She is also a contributor to the essay collection, Break These Rules: 35 Young Adult Authors On Speaking Up, Standing Out, and Being Yourself. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her very patient husband, a neurotic dog and two cats. Again is her self-publishing debut.